Working together, drawing together

Muslim group sponsors interfaith conference

Drawing closer together by working together, a tried and true method, is the goal of an interfaith conference by a Muslim organization this month.

"Serving God Through Serving Humanity" will be the theme of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at 4 p.m. June 17. The conference will be at the Hallandale Beach Cultural Community Center, 410 SE Third St.

Goal of the conference is making allies and co-workers as well as interfaith friends, says Mohsin Naeem, interfaith coordinator for the Ahmadiyya community in South Florida.

"We do a lot of humanitarian work," Naeem says. "We want to see what other religious communities are doing to serve people, and how we can work together."

The Ahmadis have already made a good start. In recent years, the 250-member community has held drives for food, clothing and school supplies in Hollywood and Hallandale. And last year they held four blood drives, part of a nationwide campaign by the U.S.' 16,000 adherents.

Keynote speaker on June 17 will be Mayor Joy Cooper of Hallandale Beach. Also speaking will be the Rev. Ronald and Marilyn Brummitt of the Miami Rescue Mission, and Rabbi Amiel Wohl of Temple New Rochelle, N.Y.

Other participants will include:

Major Daljit Pannu of the Sikh Society of Florida and Dr. Chander Shaykher of the South Florida Hindu Temple.

Habeeb M. Shafeek, interfaith outreach coordinator of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Orlando.